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Wednesday, February 13, 2008

My Support Letter

Dear Family and Friends,I pray that this letter finds you and your family doing well. It has been far too long since I last corresponded with you concerning my trip to Liberia last year. I wanted to write and share with you some exciting things God has been doing in my life. I’ve been home from Liberia now for about 11 months, and in that time, Liberia and the children that I grew to love have never been far from my mind. When I got home, I tried my hardest to get back to Liberia as soon as possible; little did I know that God had other plans. I finally settled back into life and began to sense that God was telling me to wait because He would provide me with an opportunity beyond my dreams, but it would happen in His timing. God has taught me so much in the last 11 months about patience and has continued to open my eyes to the Biblical mandate to minister to orphans. Now in His time, I will be returning to Liberia!

I have committed to serve for 6 months in 2008 with a wonderful organization called Orphan Relief and Rescue. I will be leaving for Liberia on March 24th, and plan to return home for a short break (and escape the really rainy months of rainy season) around the beginning of July. Then, I plan to return to Liberia at the beginning of October, but then I must come home in early December because my younger sister Julianne will be getting married (that’s a whole different letter!).

Orphan Relief and Rescue (ORR) is doing some amazing work with 80+ uncertified orphanages in and around Monrovia. They provide relief for orphanages and try to help them meet UN certification requirements, thus enabling the orphanage to receive government support. ORR’s ministry is built around Christ’s example of reaching out to the poor, and they focus on investing in people to secure and empower the future for Liberian children. They mentor and support the caretakers of the children and encourage them to continue to not only provide for today, but to plan for tomorrow. ORR has three operating programs: emergency relief, capacity building and construction. I will be serving as the Emergency Relief Program Manager, meaning I will be addressing the most critical needs of the children, including: food distribution, healthcare, safe drinking water, shelter construction, safety, education opportunities, hygiene, beds, mattresses, mosquito nets and clothing. My job description is quite overwhelming for me because I do not have any training, but the position encompasses my God-given passion! It will be the most challenging thing that I have ever done, but at the same time I know it will be the most rewarding.

I cannot wait to return to Liberia with an organization whose mission and heart align exactly with what I feel like God has called me to do. I am also excited because my new home will be a short 15 minute car ride from the orphanage I worked at last year, so I will be able to visit anytime! I am ecstatic to be reunited with all of the children that my heart has deeply missed for these last 11 months, and I look forward to meeting the hundreds of new children that ORR supports. More than anything, I am excited to see what God has in store for my future; I am anticipating my departure and I will leave for Liberia with great expectations.I am writing you today to let you know what God has been doing in my life, but I am also writing to ask for your prayers and support for this new ministry opportunity. I need prayer! I need to be lifted up and encouraged as I prepare for this next chapter in life. I had some bumps in the road during my last trip, and when God is using you, the enemy loves to attack. When I was in Liberia, it was amazing and comforting to know that I had people lifting me up to the throne from half way around the world!

I am also in need of people who are willing to sponsor me. I do not want to go to Liberia alone; I want an army of people standing behind me, enabling me to follow God’s calling and cheering me on! It is my prayer that God would provide for me through you. I have less than two months to raise over $4,000, but I have faith that God will provide. If you are led to support me financially, please use the enclosed self-addressed stamped envelope to send either cash or a check. If you prefer to pay with a check, please make the check payable to Sharing International, and do not write anything in the memo line. I have also enclosed a response card, so please take a minute to fill it out and return it along with your support. Again, any amount of financial assistance is a blessing and is greatly appreciated!

God has already been preparing me to go back to Liberia. He continues to fill my heart with compassion and love and He continues to give me a desire to follow hard after His heart. Every time I would look into the eyes of one of the children, I felt as if I was experiencing Christ—I cannot wait to look into those eyes once again! I am so excited to see how God is going to work in and through me to reach the children of Liberia with the unconditional love of Christ! Thank you for prayerfully considering joining me in this ministry and I look forward to sharing with you along the way!

Seeking the heart of God and sharing His love with the children of Liberia,

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About Me

I first traveled to Liberia in 2007 and worked at an orphange for a month. God used the experience to reconfirm my heart's desire to reach the children of Africa. I lived in Monrovia, Liberia and served with a small, grassroots NGO from February 2008-June 2012. I spent my days loving on amazing kiddos living in orphanages and working with orphanage directors, as well as the government of Liberia.
God began to make me aware of other needs, and I ended my time working with orphanages. I came back to Georgia and spent almost a year praying about the next step. The next step is here, in the form of Red Meets Green! I am going back to Liberia to open a community center, to minister to my neighbors. The last 8 years have been a crazy, God adventure...and I am so excited to see what He has in store! I can't wait to share the next chapter with you!
You can contact me at: ashleystoll [at] gmail [dot] com.